Gelderland was a blow out race for me, meaning I was just getting over a cold and turning the corner on actually feeling like myself again and the race was just to test the lungs and legs. I felt decent for the first 50k and then I just went backwards, every time I wanted to go hard, my legs and lungs said, 'NO'! The length of the race was 140k, so as I drifted back at kilometer 92, I was thinking about getting in a vehicle to pull out of the race.
Usually in a race, at the very end, they have what's called the broom wagon. It sweeps up all the leftover riders that are dropped from the race, so they aren't a danger to traffic, they get back to their team safely and they don't have to keep going and you team is waiting around for you to show up.....
So there I am looking for the broom wagon and it never comes!!! So now, I'm in the middle of the Netherlands somewhere, not quite sure how to get back to the team's location but I would figure it out. So I keep looking back and there is regular traffic starting back up now, passing me and I keep looking back to see if any of the vehicles look like team related vehicles. FOUND ONE! I flagged a random guy down and he asked if I wanted a ride back - YES please:). So he hops out, puts my bike in the back, I get in the front seat with his black lab - Chipo - and we head down the road. His daughter was in the race and she wasn't too far in front of me, they are from the Netherlands and this is her first year racing. You gotta get to know someone if you are riding in their car right?! :) So that was Gelderland.....
Fleche Wallone(126k) was a different story. Since it was only a couple of days later, I was still worried or nervous about how I would feel, plus it's a hell of a lot harder race. On Tuesday we drove to see/ride the course and have team presentation. Team presentation is held in a square, a band playing small pieces of 80's music in the background as you walk up, in your racing kit, then you stand there and wave, then walk off the stage. Afterwards, we then had to get in line to take photos and live still shots - like the NFL guys when they announce where they went to college? But we didn't have to say anything, just needed the shot.
FW is one of my favorite races, it's after all the flat, sprinter races, you have climbers there, so the peleton is just that little bit easier to move around. It's just a wonderful race! And the end climb has the famous, Muur de Huy, it's 1k of pure uphill hell, some places are as steep at 26% - owwwww!!!
I finished 20th, which for me is a success. Again, coming off a cold and not sure how the day was going to go, I think it went really well:)!
So now the fun part! After the race it was the packing shuffle! We leave the race immediately, get back to Fitland and get bikes packed, clothes somewhat washed, bags packed, organize departure times(6am), go to dinner, go to BED! It's a hustle ....
I'm currently sitting in my hosts' house in Norwich, UK. They are wonderful!!! They have taken me in and made me family, I'm comfortable in the kitchen and getting used to being on the opposite side of the road! I will be here till the 3rd of May, that's when the team arrives and we start Tour of Britain on May 7th.....
So now I get to explore some new roads, ride with new folks and have some fun!!!
Reading: Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias by Don Van Natta Jr.
Watching: bike racing
Listening: Budapest by Guy Ezra
Eating: lots of fruit
Website: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/club/profile?club_id=6707
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